Worth a Thousand Words
by Danica Blazenka
Summary: Stefan had held onto that picture of Katherine; Damon always wanted a picture of Elena. A simple one-shot, set during S3.


**E**lena watched rain cascade the Boarding House windows, the storm's intensity mirroring her anxieties.

She sat upon Damon's bed, waiting him to return from...somewhere he had been vague about. Yet, she tried not to pry when he was being so open to her lately. Sometimes, the expression in his eyes gave something away, but when he actually talked to her and they were the only ones in a room - it was something completely different, something wonderful and yet terrifying.

Restless, Elena wandered around the room, pausing between different things while wondering what significance they could hold if Damon had decided to keep them. Yet at that moment lighting flashed and thunder rolled, causing Elena to bump hard against a wall where some books and other things tumbled onto the floor.

"Shit…" she hurried to gather the scattered objects, returning them to their place before her attention was drawn to one opened plain box. Curiously, Elena kept the box out as she returned to the bed to look through its contents.

**D**amon entered with a sigh, tossing his soaked jacket onto a arm chair, eying Elena on his bed with her brunette head down in concentration. He was about to think of a witty comeback until he noticed the box Elena happened to be rummaging through.

"What the hell, Elena!"

"Damon?" Elena gasped, finally realizing he was there.

"Ever heard of privacy, Elena? Would have thought you would considering you have a diary and all."

"Damon, I'm sorry."

"If you really regretted it, _Elena_, then you wouldn't have done it in the first place."

Elena bowed her head to look back down at the picture she found before presenting it to him, "Just…could you tell me how you got this?"

Damon's eyes widened. It wasn't scandalous, perverse, or anything he should hide; just a photo. But it wasn't just a photo to him - it was his, a memory and a secret keepsake he had hoped no one would never find.

"I compelled a photographer from the event. I know you think it's creepy or even wrong but…I wanted to have something from that day, okay?"

When he looked back up Elena was in front of him, but not with a scowl or glare, only a heartfelt smile on her face.

"I don't think it's wrong for you to have this, just unlike you."

Damon gave her a scrutinizing glare, "What do you mean, Elena?"

"You don't seem like the type who…" she paused, unsure of her words.

"What, Elena? Don't seem like the type who cares?"

"Who is sentimental," she finished, "I didn't think that day meant so much to you."

"Of course it does…did, Elena. Do you think it's something I would just forget?" his voice faded at the end of his statement.

Elena silently nodded as she looked over the photograph again, a smile still gracing her lips. "I wish I had a photo like this."

"You can have this one…"

"Damon…I can't. It's important to you…"

"And I have another…in my wallet," he admitted, eyes shifting away from her before he cleared his throat.

Elena carefully enclosed the photo in her hand before she took a careful step towards him. Damon stared back at her with hard eyes, wondering what more could she want from him. Yet she just continued to smile before taking her other hand to caress his cheek.

"Thank you," she stated before gently kissing his cheek, pausing long enough for him to know she had meant it.

Damon held back for a moment, trying to will that moment to last as long as it could before she inevitably pulled away.

"You're welcome," it came out huskier than he wished but his voiced always betrayed him whenever she looked at him in the endearing way of hers.

Elena pulled away with a shy smile before she looked down at her phone, "It's late, I have to go. Talk to you tomorrow?" she asked. Damon just nodded before he watched her leave.

**T**he next day Damon arrived at the Gilbert home and went straight to Elena's room, like he always seemed to do.

He casually looked around, wondering if he should go through her lingerie or lie on her bed with teddy to mess with her- until something caught his eye. Upon Elena's dresser with all her knickknacks and photos was a single silver frame that seemed to stand out among the rest.

Yet it really stood out when Damon saw what photo was in the frame. He couldn't help but continue to stare while a smirk graced his lips. It happened to be right next to a photo of Elena and Stefan, but still, it was there. Damon looked over the photograph; Elena wearing her blue dress and in his arms as their eyes trained only on each other while they danced. Damon felt overjoyed it was out in the open for all to see instead of stuffed into some box. Glad he decided to give it to her instead of keeping it for himself.

"Damon?"

He placed the photograph back upon the dresser before turning to Elena in the doorway, dressed in a tee and jeans. But to him she looked just as beautiful as she did any day.

"Alaric and Jeremy are downstairs, you ready to go?"

Damon nodded with a smile as he put his jacket on placing a loose arm around her shoulders, pulling her close,"Yep, let's get going."

* * *

><p><strong><em>A.N. for WTW<em>**:  
>The story was an idea I've had for a while. Ever since they've brought up Stefan's photograph in S1, it's really bothered me. I hope this season they bring it up again and resolve some things –until then, I write fanfics.<p>

(The whole "Hey, I pretty much stalked you before I met you but…since I saved your life (not your parents though) and love you, its okay. Oh, and just ignore the picture of my 'dead' girlfriend," thing really really bothers me….and now getting back to my point, I do have one).

Yet, there is also that scene where Damon tries to take a photo of Elena before she takes it back from him (I think it's in 'Under Control', the scene in Elena's room). I drew inspiration more from that scene than anything else. And I also wanted to make this short like something you might see during the show. So I hope you all enjoyed this little story. **:D**


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